Astell & Kern players start at $1,299, and are strictly for true enthusiasts.Sony Walkman music players line starts with the new-for-2023 (really!) NW-A306, for $298.We've used earlier versions of each brand, but not the current models. But the development of lossless file formats (such as FLAC) and cheap ample multigigabyte storage have made portable high-fidelity music a reality.Īt this point, there are really only two major players in the high-end portable music space: Astell & Kern and Sony (where the Walkman brand still lives on). Sony/Screenshot by CNETĪudiophiles have long looked down on digital music because the sound quality was notably inferior for golden-eared listeners with distinguishing tastes. It's also a nice fallback portable MP3 player option for kids if you don't want an iPad, which starts at around $300 but isn't pocketable. But it's the most capable and flexible option here, especially for those who are already in the Apple services universe - or refuse to leave their iTunes-based MP3 library. You can get refurbished models for less than $200, though this is still way too much to pay for a "music player," in my book. And, because it's got the App Store, you can also opt for alternate services like Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube and the like (so long as you can access a Wi-Fi hotspot), in addition to or instead of the Apple Music app. It works seamlessly with Bluetooth headphones and speakers, but you'll need a pesky Lightning adapter to use old-school headphones. The latter will cost you $429 (for 64GB of storage), but you'll get a device that can run the latest version of iOS, and it can pull music from iTunes (on Windows) or Apple Music (on the Mac). What to do instead? Get a used iPhone, or a new iPhone SE - and just use it on Wi-Fi. Maybe you have rare, one-off live tracks that don't exist on mainstream services. Maybe you've got one too many subscriptions already, so why pay for one more when you already have a music library of thousands of MP3 files sitting on your hard drive? Or maybe you've meticulously crafted iTunes playlists, like mixtapes of old, that you don't want to re-create or transfer to another service. It's quick, easy and convenient.īut maybe you think a subscription service isn't for you. Most tracks are downloadable, too, so you can listen to your music even when you leave a Wi-Fi or cellular coverage area. You pay your $5 to $10 a month, and you get access to nearly every popular song ever recorded. You can buy any iPhone or Android phone and pair it with subscription music apps like Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and YouTube Music to use it as an audio player. While they once dominated pop culture, almost no one needs an MP3 player nowadays. Gone are the days of using a standalone MP3 player like the iPod.
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